This method for consumption of ethanol (20% solution) under conditions of limited access achieves pharmacologically significant levels of ethanol (Rhodes et al., 2005). Briefly, starting 3 hr after lights off, water bottles were replaced with bottles containing a 20% ethanol solution. The ethanol bottles remained in place for either 2 (first 3 days) or 4 hr (day 4) and then were replaced with water bottles. Except for this short period of time of ethanol drinking, mice had unlimited access to water. This procedure was repeated for 4 consecutive days. The ethanol bottles were weighed before placement and after removal from the experimental cage.
